In the apocalypse, I hoarded goods and handed over my storage space to the government.

Time: The seventh day after the red rains began.

Kunlun No. 1 Base, underground command center.

Su Ran pushed open the door and entered. He had just finished his special training for the future genius, and he still carried a lingering murderous aura.

In the conference room, the leader sat in the main seat, while Li Guodong stared at the tablet computer in his hand with a solemn expression.

Besides, several elderly men in white coats were talking in hushed tones, their expressions anxious.

"sit."

The leader raised his chin, pointed to the spot on his left, and said in a slightly more conciliatory tone, "Xiao Su, how are those 'geniuses' doing? Did you manage to drive them crazy?"

"I won't die, but I won't live a happy life either."

Su Ran pulled out a chair and sat down, her tone cold and hard, "If we don't make them suffer now, they'll become food for those tens of thousands of zombies outside once the base gates open."

"No madness, no life."

The leader held an enamel mug in his hands and gently blew on the tea leaves floating on the surface of the water.

"In the face of the crisis of national subjugation and racial extinction, any moral fastidiousness is irresponsible towards life."

The leader spoke, setting the tone.

The tense atmosphere in the conference room eased a little.

"Today is the last day of the red rain. Each department will now summarize its work," the elderly man in the head seat began.

The reports from various departments came quickly, and the core conclusions were consistent: the underground city base had been operating smoothly for the past two days without any unexpected incidents.

But Su Ran didn't feel relaxed at all. His fingers tapped the table unconsciously, making a soft "tap-tap" sound.

"Director Li, have you compiled the data I requested?"

Su Ran turned to look at Li Guodong beside her, interrupting the rest of the process.

"Here."

Li Guodong looked five years older than he did three days ago, with puffy eye bags.

He handed the encrypted tablet to Su Ran and projected the image onto the main screen.

"This is the latest statistical data for the twelve 'Peach Blossom Spring' underground bases across the country, up to half an hour ago."

Li Guodong took a deep breath, his voice a little hoarse. "These are the latest statistics from the twelve 'Peach Blossom Spring' underground bases across the country, compiled half an hour ago. The population survival rate is ideal, thanks to the early evacuation and strong defenses. Excluding the panic-induced casualties on the first day of the red rain outbreak, a large population of 12.2 billion survived."

"I don't watch this."

Su Ran swiped her tablet rapidly, her eyes sharp as knives. "Where are the Awakened? I need to see the data on those who awakened independently!"

Li Guodong's Adam's apple bobbed as he brought up another chart.

It was an empty bar chart.

If the population survival rate is a skyscraper reaching into the clouds, then the data of the awakened are an inconspicuous little mound on the horizon.

"Currently, among all registered personnel at the twelve major bases, including military, civilian, and research institutions..."

Li Guodong lowered his voice, "The total number of people who have awakened their supernatural abilities is 21."

A deathly silence instantly enveloped the entire venue.

The entire conference room seemed to have been drained of air.

"21 people?"

Su Ran frowned sharply, her voice filled with disbelief, "Old Li, are you sure you didn't make a mistake in the count? Is it twenty-one at the Kunlun Base, or the entire Great Xia?"

"This is data compiled nationwide."

Li Guodong gave a wry smile, took off his military cap, and scratched his head: "Comrade Su Ran, I also hope that my old eyes are failing me."

But this is a summary of data reported from all twelve underground cities, plus reports from military outposts at the front lines. To prevent omissions, we even used AI for big data screening; anyone showing abnormal fluctuations in physical or mental strength was within the monitoring scope.

"There are only 21 people."

Li Guodong forced himself to repeat, "This includes Ye Xiao and Bai Lu, whom you've been focusing on. In other words, besides them, there are only 19 people."

"impossible!"

Su Ran stood up abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor with a screeching sound.

"How could there only be 21? Even with a one in ten million chance, there should be hundreds out of 12 billion people!"

Memories from her past life surged wildly through Su Ran's mind.

In the previous life, a week after the red rain fell, although humanity suffered heavy casualties, awakened beings sprang up like mushrooms after rain.

Flames, frost, enhanced strength, speed mutations... all sorts of bizarre abilities bloom in the ruins.

Even if the proportion of those who awaken on their own is extremely low.

Surely there would be 21 people out of 1.2 billion people?

This percentage isn't just a 50% drop; it's a complete wipeout!

"Is there any omission in the statistics?"

Su Ran whirled around, her gaze locking onto several academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in the corner. "Is there a problem with the testing methods, or is someone concealing the truth?"

"Absolutely impossible."

Academician Wang Sheng stood up, adjusted his thick glasses, and spoke with certainty.

"All dungeons are equipped with the latest vital signs monitoring network. Any abnormal energy fluctuations or changes in physiological indicators will trigger an alarm immediately. The data for these 21 people has been repeatedly verified by us."

"Advisor Su."

After a pause, Academician Wang hesitated before adding:

"Actually... from a biological perspective, this is normal. Human genes are very stable, and the probability of natural mutation is extremely low. The awakening rate you mentioned might be because..."

"Why?" Su Ran stared intently at him.

"Survivor bias"

Academician Wang tentatively offered a scientific explanation: "Those lacking the awakening gene have already been eliminated in the first round."

"Bullshit!" Su Ran couldn't help but swear.

He sat back down in his chair, interlacing his fingers and pressing them against his forehead.

Cold sweat trickled down his temples.

Not right.

Something is very wrong.

Su Ran paused, her gaze sweeping over the scientists in the corner who had remained silent.

"Even if it's survivor bias, it can't explain such a huge difference in the proportion. With a base of 1.2 billion, even if you used lottery tickets, you should be able to win hundreds of jackpots. There must be other factors involved."

He was reborn, and using his prophetic abilities, he built high walls, stockpiled food supplies, and protected his people in the safest fortress.

Logically, the larger the base number, the more powerful individuals should emerge.

Why are there even fewer now?

Su Ran raised her head, her eyes somewhat blank, but gradually, that blankness turned into a heart-stopping fear.

He thought of a word.

greenhouse.

"Comrade Xiao Su."

The commander, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke, his voice steady and powerful, "Have you thought of something?"

"Commander...maybe we're doomed." Su Ran's voice trembled slightly.

These words caused an uproar in the room.

"Comrade Su Ran! Watch your words!"

An old general slammed his fist on the table and stood up, exclaiming, "We have a strong army and ample supplies, how can we be finished?"

Su Ran ignored the old general's anger. He looked at the commander, slowly extended a finger, and pointed to the top of his head.

Is the red rain still falling outside?

"It's still raining, and it's expected to last another day," Li Guodong replied immediately.

"What is the level of the base's air filtration system?"

"Top level. Military-grade NBC protection standard, it can even filter out 99.9% of nuclear radiation dust."

Despite his doubts, Li Guodong responded truthfully, "This was specially built to prevent people from getting infected with the virus, and it can ensure that the air everyone breathes is absolutely safe."

"That's right..."

Su Ran gave a bitter laugh, leaning weakly back in her chair. She finally understood the key point: "That's right. We've protected everyone too well."

Why were there so many awakened beings in my past life?

Because there were no underground cities or air filtration systems in the previous life!

From the very first second of the catastrophe, everyone was nakedly exposed to the red rain, breathing air filled with the virus, and coming into contact with contaminated water sources.

That was hell, and also a place for refining poisonous insects.

Only the strongest genes can survive the high concentration of viral invasion, adapt to the effects of the red rain, mutate, and become awakened beings.

And in this life.

The twelve magnificent underground cities, with their proud air circulation systems, are like twelve giant sterile petri dishes.

They blocked the zombies, they blocked death.

This also completely blocked the opportunity for evolution.

"you mean……"

Academician Wang, being exceptionally intelligent, instantly grasped the crux of the matter. His face paled, and his lips trembled. "You mean, Red Rain... is not just a virus, but also... the key to evolution?"

"That's right."

Su Ran closed her eyes, her tone heavy as if delivering a verdict, "By cutting off the transmission route, we have also cut off the possibility of evolution."

He suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze sweeping over everyone present, each word piercing their hearts:

"The zombies outside are getting rained on, the mutated beasts are getting rained on, they are evolving wildly, they are iterating, they are getting stronger."

"And we humans, hiding dozens of meters underground, breathing pure air, are stuck in the same place."

A deathly silence fell over the conference room.

Where is this some kind of paradise?

This is clearly a giant grain silo waiting to be opened.

"Born in hardship, die in comfort."

The leader's voice broke the silence, his aged voice tinged with an almost imperceptible weariness: "The ancients were right."